Molded pulp container with tear strip



Dec. 23, 1958 c. STEWART 2,865,548

MOLDED PULP CONTAINER WITH TEAR STRIP Filed Nov. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. CHARLES L. STEWART HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 23, 1958 v c. 1.. STEWART 2,865,548

MOLDED PULP CONTAINER WITH TEAR STRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4, 1955 INVENTOR.

CHARLES L. STEWART H15 ATTORNEYS United States PatentO MOLDED PULP CONTAINER WITH TEAR STRIP Charles L. Stewart, Hammond, Ind., assignor to Keyes Fibre Company, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application November 4, 1955, Serial No. 544,917

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-25) This invention relates to a molded pulp carton for holding fragile articles, and it particularly relates to cartons of this type which have article-holding pockets and article spacing posts integrally molded therein.

Cartons of the above type are subject to the inherent commercial disadvantage of not being able to be imprinted properly with the article manufacturers name or with other advertising indicia since both surfaces of the bottom wall of the container portion and both surfaces of the top wall of the hinged cover portion are completely covered with generally alternating indentations and projections corresponding to the pocekts and posts.

In order to overcome the above-noted disadavntage of this type of carton, there has come into somewhat general use a carton comprising three integrally hinged sections. Two of these sections comprise the elements of the heretofore-used article-containing carton in that each is provided with a series of pockets and posts, so that when one section is overfolded onto the other, the pockets of one coincide with those of the other to form an individual housing for an article, while the posts of one section abut against the corresponding posts of the other to form the retaining walls for each individual housing. In this manner, one of the sections acts as the container portion and the other acts as the lid portion. The third section, which is hingedly connected to the container portion, at the opposite edge from the lid portion, is generally similar in shape to the other two sections but is provided with a smooth top wall, free from any indentations or projections. This third section is adapted to fold over the lid section after the lid section has been folded over the container section, and to enclose it completely. This third section is then either glued to the top surfaces of the lid section or the edges of these sections are stapled together. The smooth upper surface of this cover section is imprinted with the appropriate brand name or other suitable indicia for the purpose of advertising or identifying the contents.

In use, after the carton containing the articles, such as eggs, reaches the consumer, he then may open it by inserting a sharp or pointed instrument, such as a knife edge or the tine of a fork, or the like, through the hinge edge connecting the container section to the cover section.

In opening the above described cartons, it often happens that the instrument is inserted too deeply or it may slip; the result is a large proportion of broken eggs. Furthermore, the edges are generally ragged and unsightly. In addition, if a sharp instrument is unavailable, it is diflicult to open the carton.

However, there was, heretofore, no practical way to avoid the above disadvantages since the only economically feasible manner of producing such cartons is by means of a die press having a contour corresponding to all three sections in opened position.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a three-section type of molded pulp container, wherein all of the sections are adapted to be hingedly overfolded upon each other, which is so constructed that 2,865,548 Patented Dec. 23, 1958 2 one of the sections may be easily and cleanly removed from the section hingedly connected thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a molded pulp container of the above type wherein the container may be integrally formed on the ordinary type of molding apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained unit which does not require a separate instrument for its opening.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a carton embodying the present invention, showing it in open position;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the carton in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 .is a side elevational view of the closed carton showing the tear strip in partly torn away condition; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional end view of the carton showing it in partially open condition and showing eggs therein, the cover being shown as held in place on the lid by adhesive.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a carton, generally designated 10, which consists of a lid section 12, a container section 14, and a cover 16.

The lid section 12 is provided with a plurality of rows of integrally formed pockets 18, each pocket being diagonally separated from a pocket in the adjacent row of pockets by a hollow integrally formed post 20; and each pocket being further laterally spaced from the pockets adjacent thereto by hollow ribs 22. each post 20 is provided with four laterally extending arms, formed by ribs 22, each rib being olfset from the adjacent ribs, and is surrounded by four pockets 18, one set in each corner of the area surrounding the post. A peripheral rim 24 surrounds the pocketed central area of the section 12.

Container section 14 is similar to section 12 in that the hollow posts 26, pockets 28 and separating ribs 30 are arranged in the same general fashion. However, the posts 26 of the container portion are somewhat wider than the posts 20 of the lid whereas the pockets 28 of the container are somewhat narrower than the pockets 18 of the lid. A peripheral rim 31 surrounds the container section 14 and this rim is integrally hinged at 32 with the rim 24. The ribs 22 of the section 12 are also somewhat longer than ribs 30 of section 14.

It should be noted that the pockets 18 in the lid are provided with hemispherical, upstanding center knobs 34 and the pockets 28 in the container are provided with hemispheral, upstanding center knobs 36. The knobs 34 are somewhat larger than the knobs 36. These center knobs form resilient contact members for contacting the ends of an article held in the pockets and for cushioning it against the supporting surface of the carton.

Half posts 38, corresponding in size to posts 20, are formed on the peripheral rim 24 of the section 12 and half posts 40 corresponding in size to posts 26, are provided on the rim 31 of section 14.

On the edge of the container section 14 opposite to the' hinge portion 32, there is provided a hinge portion 42 connecting the section 14 to the section 16.

The section 16 comprises a bottom wall 44, an upstanding peripheral wall 46, and a peripheral rim 48 extending laterally outward from the top of wall 46. It is In top plan view,

to one edge of this rim 48 that the hinge portion 42 is connected.

The hinge portion 42 comprises a head 50 extending between the two rims 31 and 48. At each end of the hinge portion-there is provided anoutward extension or tab 52, each of these extensions being integral with the hinge portion, and each being provided With a rounded outer end. The tabs 52 project laterally outward for a distance sufficient to enable them to be easily grasped. The head 50 extends to the end of both tabs 52.

At either side of the bead 5t} there is provided a perforated line 54. These perforated lines extend the length of the hinge portion 42. and end at the intersection of the tabs 52 and the sides of the carton. The space between these perforated lines'forms a tear strip 56, the length of which is substantially equal to the distance between the tabs.

In use, the fragile articles, such as eggs, are positioned in the pockets of the-container section 14 and the lid section 1 2 is then folded over to encase the eggs Within the mating pockets of the two sections. The cover section 16 is then overfolded upon the lid section 12 so that the advertising or other indicia on the flat outer surface of the cover section 16 is completely visible, and the carton is then sealed in the ordinary manner.

When the consumer gets the package, he is generally no longer particularly interested in the indicia thereon or in the appearance of the carton. At this point, the consumer is primarily interested in opening the package in the neatest and easiest way possible, and in such a manner that the carton can be retained to hold the articles therein until they are used up. The present invention satisfies this consumer aspect by providing the tear strip 56. All that is necessary is for the consumer to grasp one or the other of the tabs '52 and pull away the tear strip. This permits the combined cover and lid, which are still fastened together, to act as a hinged lid for the carton.

In this manner, not only does the consumer have easy access to the contents of the carton, but the advertising matter or other indicia, remains in sight during the entire use of the carton. It also presents a neater and more finished appearance. This is particularly important if there are date stamps indicating the freshness of the eggs or if there is some type of'instruction matter printed on the cover. This is illustrated in Fig. 5.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appendedclaims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A molded pulp carton having two hinged-together, pocketed sections wherein the pockets of one section are complementary to those of the other section, and a generally smooth section connected to one of said pocketed sections, in opposed relationship to the other of said pocketed sections, by an integral hinge section, said hinge section comprising a substantially flat tear strip of substantially the same thickness as the other portions of the carton and having aportion thereof which is displaced relative to the remaining portion of said tear strip'and which comprises a relatively narrow median bead extending along the length of its undersurface, said bead defining a narrow groove on the upper surface of said tear strip, and a line of perforations extending along each side of said tear strip, said head being generally parallel to and spaced from the edges of said tear strip.

2. The carton of-claim 1 wherein an integrally formed tab is provided at each end of said tear strip laterally outward of said carton, said tabs forming continuous extensions of said tear strip and being defined by said lines of perforations, and said beadextending along the median length of each tab.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,463,442 Samuel July 31, 1923 1,945,397 Gray Jan. 30, 1934 2,423,756 Chaplin July 8, 1947 2,668,652 Russell Feb. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,698 Great Britain 1914 414,275 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1934 

